MOVIES - April 7, 1989

Franco Zeffirelli said Thursday that he hopes to “reconquer a lost paradise” when he directs Mel Gibson in a new screen version of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” “It’s very seldom that (Shakespearean) plays are done in a way that kids can identify with . . . and I think I’ve found a way to accomplish that,” said Zeffirelli, who achieved success with his movie version of “Romeo and Juliet” in 1970. Gibson, who once starred in “Romeo and Juliet” on the Australian stage, said he has always been “excited, exhilarated and half-frightened by the possibility of having to some day play (Hamlet).” The actor added that he believes Shakespeare’s “soap opera of the day” remains contemporary in that it deals with human emotions and conflicts, but merely sets them to beautiful poetry. Production on “Hamlet,” which will be produced by Dyson Lovell (“Lonesome Dove,” “The Champ”), is scheduled to begin next spring.